Archive for April, 2009

Florence Panorama

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

Florence was the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Politically, economically, and culturally it was just about the most important city in Europe for something approaching 250 years - from sometime before 1300 until the early 1500s. Florentines reinvented money - in the form of the gold florin - which was the engine that drove Europe out of the “Dark Ages” a term invented by Petrarch, a Florentine. They financed the development of industry all over Europe - from Britain to Bruges, to Lyon, to Hungary. They financed the English kings during the Hundred Years War. They financed the papacy, including the construction of Avignon and the reconstruction of Rome when the papacy returned from the “Babylonian captivity”. This photo shows the rooftops of this famous and magnificient city.

Screen resolution: 1024 x 768
File Size: 460K

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Duomo Florence

Friday, April 17th, 2009

We like the Duomo so much, we’re putting another desktop out of this fantastic piece of architecture. The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral church (Duomo) of Florence, Italy, begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white and has an elaborate 19th century Gothic Revival facade by Emilio De Fabris. This desktop shows the Duomo as seen from Piazzale Michelangelo.

Screen resolution: 1024 x 768
File Size: 460K

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Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore - Florence

Monday, April 6th, 2009

The Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral of Florence, with construction beginning in 1296. The Cathedral complex includes a baptistry and Giotto’s bell tower. Taken collectively, they are listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO. In this photo the Duomo of Firenze can be seen as well as the Palazzo found in Piazza della Signoria.

Screen resolution: 1024 x 768
File Size: 747K

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